For those curious (or skeptical) about how Russian POWs are treated in Ukraine here’s what I saw first hand. When I first visited the camp, I came in with an open mind… but also knew exactly what red flags to look for based on my own time in RU What I saw shocked me. ⬇️
In the courtyard, POWs walked slow laps in circles. You could tell who had been there the longest they dragged out the walk to avoid finishing too fast. Same trick I used in my tiny cell. Anything to stretch time. Difference is: they actually get fresh air daily.
There was no fear. No tension. No one watching their words. At one point, a small argument even broke out after one foreign fighter claimed Russia was “strong and technologically advanced.” All I could do was laugh saying that in my cell would've meant a beating.
One big green flag? While we were interviewing a POW inside the barracks, another walked in, grabbed something from his cabinet, nodded, and left. No guards shouting. No panic. Just routine. That kind of freedom didn’t exist where I was held.
If I had to sum it up: It’s basically the life of a conscript, with added security. Structured. Controlled. But nothing like what we endured. No torture. No fear. Just the reality of war from the other side.
